Cleaning device



M. I. BOWLING.

CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I2. 1917.

1,355,391 I Patented Oct. 12,1920.

PATENT OFFICE.

MINNIE I. DO'WLING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLEANING DEVICE.

Application filed November 12, 1917.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MINNIE I. DOWLING, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CleaningDevices, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved cleaningdevice in the form of a soap bar, having incorporated therewith meansfor burnishing so arranged as to act upon the surface duringthe cleaningoperation; and to provide a device of this kind which is particularlysuitable for manicuring purposes, the shape being such as will render itespecially useful in cleaning and polishing the nails.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective viewof the improved cleaner in the form of a soap bar for manicuring thenails.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the same.

In the specific embodiment shown, a quantity of soap or other cleansingcompound is formed into a thin bar or tablet with a core of fibrousmaterial which is substantially coextensive lengthwise with the tabletand is exposed at certain edges thereof, so that when in use, theexposed edge of the fibrous core gently rubs the surface on which thearticle is being used and has the effect of burnishing or polishing suchsurface. A quantity of finely powdered abrasive material may be mixedwith the soap.

The form shown is particularly suitable for manicuring purposes andcomprises an elongated flat and thin tablet 1 of soap. The corecomprises one or more layers or strips of cardboard or other suitablematerial 2 embedded in the middle of the tablet with one or both of theends of the core exposed (Fig. 1) but preferably with the side edgesconcealed, as shown in Fig. 2. The soap preferably has mixed with it anabrasive substance such as finely ground pumice, which, in acting withthe soap, facilitates the cleaning operation. The paper core ispreferably made of short-fiber ma- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Serial No. 201.519.

terial such as wood pulp, so that it' will wear away at the same rate asthe stick of soap.

One end of the tablet is provided with an arcuate shaped depression 3,providing rounded corners 4, whereas the opposite end of the tablet isconvex. This concave part 3 with the blunt-pointed corners 4L rendersthe tablet particularly suitable for cleaning and polishing the nails.

In using the device, the nails are moistened with water and then rubbedwith either end of the bar. As the soap, coacting with the water and theabrasive, cleans the nail, the edge of the strip 2 scrubs the surface,facilitates the cleaning operation, and at the same time burnishes orpolishes the nail.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a bar of cleansing compound having acore of fibrous material embedded therein, said bar having one endthereof formed with an arcuate-shaped depression.

2. As an article of manufacture, a bar of soap having a strip of stiff,flexible fibrous material embedded therein so as to form a coresubstantially coextensive with said bar, said bar having one end thereofformed with an arcuate-shaped depression.

3. A finger nail polisher, comprising a narrow flat stick of soap havinga sheet of paper embedded therein, extending lengthwise thereof andexposed at one end.

4. A finger nail polisher, comprising a slender bar of soap having asheet of paper embedded therein, extending lengthwise thereof andexposed at one end, the exposed end of said paper being adapted to wearat approximately the same rate as the soap when inuse.

Signed at Chicago this 14th day of September 1917.

MINNIE I. DOWLING.

